Hotels in Niagara On The Lake, Ontario

A little about Niagara On The Lake...

Niagara-on-the-Lake (2001 population 13,839) is a town where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario in the Niagara Region of southern Ontario. It is located across the river from Youngstown, New York.

The original site was a Neutral Nation village known as Onghiara. In 1781 the British government established Butlersburg which later became known as West Niagara. Many of the first inhabitants were Loyalists who fled the United States during and immediately after the American Revolution.

Niagara-on-the-Lake was named the Prettiest Town in Canada in 1996 by Communities in Bloom, a nationwide beautification program . The town is now a tourist magnet, located at the northern terminus of the Niagara Parkway, a scenic drive and biking/walking path.

There are many wineries, inns, B&Bs, and spas in the area. It is one of the country's best-known viticultural areas, with dozens of wineries, including those making the world's largest volumes of ice wine. The town is home to the Shaw Festival, a months–long series of theatrical works featuring those of George Bernard Shaw and others. The Festival operates three theaters in the center of town: the Festival, Royal George, and Court House Theaters.

The town has the only Lord Mayor in Canada. Prior to 1970, the town was simply the Town of Niagara, and the title was Mayor. In 1970, the Town of Niagara, and the Township of Niagara were merged to create the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The title of "Lord Mayor" was to be given to all Mayors from that time forward. Many people incorrectly refer to the Mayor of Niagara prior to that time as having the title of "Lord".

Most of the former military sites, such as Fort George, Navy Hall, and Butler's Barracks, have been restored. Fort George's restoration was done as a "Make Work Project" during the Great Depression of the 1930s, an early example of historic preservation. Fort George National Historic Site is a focal point in a collection of War of 1812 sites which, collectively, are managed by Parks Canada under the name Niagara National Historic Sites. That administrative name includes several national historic sites: Fort Mississauga, Mississauga Point Lighthouse (1804, the first on the Great Lakes), Navy Hall, Butler's Barracks, and Queenston Heights.